Let the lights guide you
by Akane Sakanoue
Summary: So this is my attempt to a christmas fic, it's about Kariya, friendship, romance and Santa! Enjoy!


**Merry Christmas minna~**

**Okay, I know I'm late, I actually had this done at 11:45 pm or something like that and FanFiction didn't worked, so I couldn't upload it, anyway this is my Christmasfic about Kariya!**

**I do not own Kariya or Santa, only my OC and the plot**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Let the lights guide you**

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**Kariya's POV**

''Why won't my dad come for me for Christmas?'' I shouted while I ran out the door, I had already grabbed my coat, I wasn't planning on coming back anytime soon.

''Kariya wait!'' Hitomiko-san shouted after me, but I ignored her, running away from the orphanage.

My boots made a crunching sound in the snow, making my presence known. Hitomiko-san just told me that my dad won't come to visit me for Christmas. I felt betrayed by my father, I had already felt betrayed when he brought me to Sun Garden, but this was worse. He wouldn't even come visit me for Christmas!

With these feelings inside me, I wasn't concentrating on the road or to where I was headed, until I found myself in front of a big Christmas tree. I looked up to see the lights of the Christmas tree, their shimmering had me captivated. I went to sit on a bench across from the Christmas tree, so I could admire it all I wanted to.

I had sat there for a couple of minutes before I heard somebody say: ''The lights really are beautiful aren't they?'' It had sounded like the chiming of bells.

I turned around slowly to see who had said that, not wanting to look away from the Christmas tree, thinking that if I'd look away, it would disappear.

Behind me stood a girl with shoulder length black hair, which contrasted with the snow that was lying everywhere. On her head she wore a yellow knit hat. Her eyes were hazel, they shimmered just as bright as the light in the Christmas tree. She wore a light blue winter coat.

''Yeah, they are.'' I answered the girl's question and turned around again to look at the lights again.

It didn't take long before I felt something smack against my head. I turned around to see who would throw a snowball at me. A couple of meters away stood the girl who was just right behind me, she was holding a snowball.

''Are you going to sit there all day or do you want to have some fun?'' She said.

I realized the girl must've seen me being sad and that she was trying to cheer me up. So I stood up from the bench, gathered some snow from around my feet, made a snowball from it and threw it at the girl.

She ducked and the snowball went over her head. ''Ha!'', she said, ''you missed!''

''Don't think I'll miss twice!'' I shouted at her.

''Bring it on!'' She shouted back.

And so our snowball fight began, we kept throwing snowballs at each other, running around the whole square, sometimes circling the Christmas tree. I had a lot of fun with the girl. We eventually had to give up the fight though, because the sun had started to set. By that time we both hit each other an equal amount of times and were tied.

''I have to go home'' I reluctantly said, ''Hitomiko-san must be really worried about me.''

''I should go home too'' she said and she had started to walk away.

''Wait!'' I cried out, I didn't want the girl to leave.

She turned around to look at me, her eyes expectedly.

''Do you want to play with me again tomorrow?'' I asked a little shy.

''If you will come to see the lights than I will be here too.''

That was all the girl said before she turned around and walked away, or rather skipped away. I turned around to look at the Christmas tree one more time, before making my way back to Sun Garden.

''Tadaima!'' I said as I opened the door to Sun Garden.

Before me stood a very angry but also very relieved Hitomiko-san.

''Kariya, where have you been? I was worried sick about you!''

''Gomen Hitomiko-san'' I said guiltily, ''I was in town and I met a really nice girl there.''

Hitomiko-san's expression seemed to soften after hearing this.

''So you made a friend? What's her name?''

''Ehm'' I said, ''I forgot to ask...''

Hitomiko-san laughed, it was a relief to see she wasn't angry anymore.

''But I will see her again tomorrow and then I'll ask!'' I hastily said.

''Okay'' Hitomiko-san said, ''it's good to hear you had a great time, now let's have dinner shall we? Everyone's waiting for you.''

I followed Hitomiko-san to the dinner table. After dinner I had no idea what I had eaten, all I could think about was my new friend, whose name I didn't even know.

* * *

The next day I rushed to the Christmas tree in town as fast as I could after breakfast. I couldn't wait to see the girl again.

When I reached the Christmas tree, I didn't see the girl anywhere so I decided to do the same thing I did yesterday, I sat on the bench and admired the lights, the girl was bound to show up.

It didn't take long before someone told me: ''Admiring the lights again?''

I turned around to see who had said that, even though I already knew it was the girl I had met yesterday. She was wearing the same clothes as yesterday and she wore a big smile on her face.

''Want to have some more fun today?'' She said.

''Sure'' I said, ''but first you have to tell me something, what is your name?''

''Chikamatsu Teruya, but you can just call me Teruya. What's your name?''

''It's Kariya Masaki, but just Masaki is fine.'' The girl giggled.

''Okay Masaki, what do you want to do today?''

''How about making a snowman?'' I suggested, I actually had thought of this already last night, while laying in bed.

''Okay!'' The girl's smile got even brighter. ''Let's gather some snow! If you do the bottom part, then I'll do the middle part.''

And so the two of us started gathering and shaping the snow for a snowman, sometimes Teruya randomly threw a snowball at me saying ''Now I'm one ahead of you!'' and then I would throw one back at her, making the score a tie again. After some time we both had our parts for the snowman done and I helped Teruya get her part on my part of the snowman.

''Now let's make the head!'' Teruya said enthusiastically.

We made the head together and put in on top of the other parts. As I looked at it, it didn't look very good, the snowman had no face or a hat.

''The face is missing'' Teruya sadly said.

I don't how or why but hearing that hint of sadness in her voice made we want to cheer her up so badly, even though I barely knew her for two days. I saw some pinecones and a twig laying on the ground nearby so I picked them up and tried to make a face with it for a snowman. It didn't work out very well, because it looked really weird with pinecones as eyes.

To my big surprise Teruya said: ''It looks really nice.'' I burst out laughing, I couldn't believe she actually thought it looked good.

''Why are you laughing?'' Teruya asked.

''It looks terrible!'' I managed to get out between my laughing, ''just look at it!''

Teruya took a good look at the snowman and burst out laughing as well.

''You're right! It's absolutely terrible!''

Teruya and I laughed a little while longer about our snowman before we decided to do something else.

''Shall we make snow angels?'' Teruya suggested as she let herself fall backwards in the snow. I followed her example and let myself fall backwards as well. Then we started moving our arms and legs to make snow angels. We stood up to look at our creations.

''Masaki there are footprints in yours!''

''Well yours has very tiny wings!'' I could see that Teruya hadn't made very large movements with her arms, as the wings of her snow angel were very small.

''Let's make some new ones then!'' Teruya let herself fall backwards again and this time she made big movements with her arms. I let myself fall backwards again as well and made another snow angel, when I got up I made sure I didn't step in it.

''Aaahh!'' I suddenly heard a shout from beside me. I looked over at Teruya.

''Look where those big movements got me Masaki, there's snow in my pants!''

I couldn't contain myself and I started laughing, Teruya looked very funny with that frown between her eyebrows.

''Stop laughing Masaki, it's very cold!'' Despite her warning, I couldn't stop laughing and before I knew it, Teruya had gathered some snow and thrown it into my pants.

''It's so cohohold!'' I started screaming and this time it was Teruya's turn to laugh.

''Told you so!''

''You little!'' I joked and I threw a snowball at her and before I knew it, the snowball fight was on again. It went on till sunset again and again it ended in a tie.

''Jaa ne Masaki! See you tomorrow!'' Teruya said this and waved as she walked away to her house and I walked away to Sun Garden.

''Jaa ne Teruya!'' I waved back at her and watched her until she disappeared out of sight.

I happily walked back to Sun Garden, I was happy I had made a new friend and that we had so much fun together. And tomorrow we would play again, maybe I would even bring the sledge from Sun Garden, then we could go to the hill and sleigh. I was blessed to have a friend like Teruya.

* * *

Several years passed in which I only saw Teruya around Christmas, but I was happy, because I was still able to see her, I had no idea where she lived and she didn't know where I lived either. This year wouldn't be any different, so I went to the Christmas tree in town, I came there every year to admire the lights and to meet up with Teruya. I had gotten really attached to her and couldn't wait to see her.

I sat down on the same bench where I met Teruya several years ago and admired the lights in the Christmas tree while I waited for her. I thought she could arrive any minute now, as she always did, but after half an hour she still wasn't there. I started to grow worried, did she forget about it this year? Doesn't she want to see me anymore? Or worse… has she moved away?

I sat on the bench with all these kinds of horrible thoughts about what could've happened to her until the sun started to set. At the end of the day, I still had no idea about what happened to her and there was nothing I could do but just to go home.

My feet and legs felt heavy while I walked home, my eyes were sad. I just wanted to break down with every step I took, but I couldn't, I had to get home, for Hitomiko-san. And so I pushed myself forward.

When I opened the door, Hitomiko-san came up to me, asking: ''How was it with Teruya?'' I had told her everything about Teruya and she always asked how it was, I always happily told her about my day. But today was different, I felt betrayed and Hitomiko-san could see that, so she didn't ask any further, even though I didn't answer her question. I just walked past her and to my room.

When I was in my room, I let myself fall down on my bed, with my face into the pillow. I stayed like that for a long time, I heard Hitomiko-san call for dinner, but I ignored it. She also knew better than to try to get me downstairs, so she didn't come and I stayed on my bed.

I felt betrayed by Teruya, because she didn't come today, but it wasn't the same as with my dad. I hated my dad for what he'd done, but I couldn't hate Teruya, I held her too close to me. I could only feel betrayed and sad. All these thoughts went through my mind, making it hard for me to fall asleep. Eventually I did fall asleep and when I woke up I was still tired, but I went downstairs anyway, to have breakfast.

During breakfast, all I could think about was Teruya and I decided that maybe she didn't really forget about me and that maybe she would be there today.

And so I went to the Christmas tree again today. And just as yesterday, Teruya didn't show up. Maybe she really moved away? I shook my head, I didn't want to think about this, but the evidence was undeniable, Teruya hadn't showed up for two consecutive days.

But I still couldn't give up on her, so I went back to the Christmas tree the day after again, and the day after that day as well. This went on for many years, I went to the tree every year, always hoping Teruya would show up. But as much as I wished she did, she never showed up. I started to lose hope she would ever show up as the years passed.

* * *

Today was no different, I came to the tree and sat down on the bench. By the time it was nearing sunset, an old man came to sit next to me. He started talking to me.

''The lights in this Christmas tree really are beautiful, aren't they? I came here every year with my wife to admire the lights, until she passed away several years ago. I still come here every year though, the brightness of the lights reminds me of my wife and her bright and happy soul.'' The man paused for a sec, he looked at me and continued to talk.

''I noticed that you come here every year as well, I don't know the reason, but you seem to admire the lights as well, so you must be a nice young man. I'm sure the lights attract you to come here each year.''

''That's not it.'' I said to the man, I was shocked at why I said this, I didn't even know the reason myself, but I felt like I really wanted someone to talk to about Teruya.

''I don't come here just for the lights, I come here in hope that one day my best friend will return.''

''Your best friend?'' The old man asked.

''We used to come here every day, but several years ago she suddenly stopped coming.''

''Are you sure she's just your friend if you keep coming here every year?'' The man asked.

''What do you mean by that?'' I asked the old man in return.

''This girl you are talking about, might mean more to you than you think.'' The man stood up after saying this, but before he walked away, he asked me one more thing.

''Teruya coming back, is that your greatest Christmas wish?''

''Yes'' I simply answered.

''In that case'', the old man said, ''let the lights guide you.'' And so the old man walked away after saying that.

I was trying to figure out what he had meant by that when something suddenly dawned on me. That old man had said Teruya, but... I never told him Teruya's name. Could it be that this man...?

* * *

**Teruya's POV**

I was walking through town, I hadn't been here for so long and so much had changed. The place where I used to get noodles all the time, was now gone. While I was walking I suddenly felt the need to go to the part of town of which I knew would never change, the Christmas tree in the center of town. I felt drawn to it for some reason, it was a need that I simply couldn't describe. It felt like I would be missing a big part of my life if I didn't went there.

When I reached the Christmas tree, the first thing I saw was the bright lights of the tree that I had always admired. My eyes went over the benches near the tree, looking for the one where I met my best friend from long ago, the place where I met Masaki.

I suddenly felt a pang of guilt as I thought of Masaki, I had left him behind when I moved, I didn't know where he lived and I didn't know how to reach him, so I never told him I was going to move. He must've waited for me for so long that first day of Christmas Holiday. It was when I thought this that my eyes went over a familiar colour of hair, it belonged to a guy sitting on a very familiar bench. It was the bench Masaki and I had carved our names in, the last day of Christmas, the last time we were together before I moved.

Could it be that the person sitting on that bench was actually Masaki? Had he really waited for me for so long? Could it be really possible? There was only one way to find out and that was to do the same thing as I did all those years ago.

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**Kariya's POV**

I was still looking at the lights in front of me when I suddenly felt something cold hit my head, were there little kids having a snowball fight behind me? It was then I heard someone say: ''Are you going to sit there all day or do you want to have some fun?'' That voice, that voice that sounded like the chiming of bells, could it really be?

I turned around to see if I was right, a couple of meters away stood a woman with mid-back black hair, her black hair contrasted with the snow. It was the same colour as Teruya's hair, but what really confirmed my hopes were the hazel eyes that shimmered bright and the yellow knit that the woman wore. I was absolutely sure that was Teruya's hat, but above all, I could never forget those eyes, those bright shimmering hazel eyes.

It couldn't be true, it just couldn't be, but she really stood there, Teruya was standing there right in front of my eyes. I stood up from the bench, never taking my eyes off of her, afraid she might disappear if I took my eyes of her, just as I was afraid the tree might've disappeared all those years ago, when I first met her. I walked up to her while saying: ''Teruya?''

Teruya's whole face seemed to brighten after she noticed I recognized her and she came running to me while saying: ''Masaki!''

We hugged each other and I twirled her around, until she stood with her back towards the Christmas tree. I let go to look at her face.

''Masaki, I've missed you so much!'' She said, her eyes getting moist.

''I've missed you too'' I said.

''I'm so sorry I left all those years ago'' she said, ''but my family had to move and I didn't know how to reach you. I've wanted to tell you, but I just couldn't. I had felt so guilty when I thought you would be going here that first day of Christmas Holiday, not knowing I wouldn't be there. I could never forgive myself, but now you're here and I'm so happy.''

''I never stopped coming'' I said, not really knowing why I said this. I didn't want her to feel more guilty.

''I'm so sorry!'' She blurted out and I hugged her again, saying; ''Don't be, it wasn't your fault. And besides, I couldn't be more happy you are here today.''

Behind her back I could see the Christmas tree with its lights, in front of the tree stood the old man I had talked to a while ago. The old man looked at me and gave me a wink, I blinked, did I really see that or was it just my imagination? But when I opened my eyes again, the man was suddenly gone. How was that possible? Was this man really…?

I suddenly remembered what the man had said to me; ''let the lights guide you''. While I recalled this, I looked at the bright lights of the tree and they gave me the courage to do what I should've done long ago.

I let go of Teruya and faced her, I looked her in the eye for a split second before I smashed my lips onto hers. To my surprise she answered my kiss, our lips seemed to melt together as I could feel her love for me through her lips. It was this moment, at Christmas Eve, that I realized I never wanted to lose Teruya again and that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her, because I had found her today after so many years. And that all because of Santa…

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**The End**

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**So, how was it? Please leave reviews!**

**For everyone who requested a character for my reader x character series, I have been very busy with school recently, book reports, tests, more important tests, but I'll try to get something done during the vacation, here's my list for how I plan on writing it:**

**Namikawa**

**Kariya**

**Hakuryuu**

**Shindou**

**Fei**

**Gouenji**

**Yuuichi**

**Any other characterrequests are always welcome~**

**Anyways, enjoy the holidays and a Happy New Year!**


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